Flashback Friday: Back to the Beach
Added 2021-07-23 15:00:06 +0000 UTCPlanning a trip to the beach this summer? There’s lots of wonderful things to explore while you’re there –– both above ground and underwater!
Did you know there's a story in every grain of sand? If you scooped up a handful of sand from every beach, you'd have a history of the world sifting through your fingers. Our episode, “The Amazing Life of Sand,” delves into the geology of this sparkling substance.
Or perhaps you’ll see some sand dollars while you walk along the shore. Most people who pick them up don’t realize that they’ve collected the skeleton of an animal, washed up at the end of a long life. And they look way different in their lives beneath the waves. Covered in thousands of purple spines, they have a bizarre diet that helps them exploit the turbulent waters of the sandy seafloor. Learn more in, “A Sand Dollar’s Breakfast is Totally Metal.”
If you linger at the ocean at night, you may see a beach hopper party in progress. Also known as sand hoppers, they emerge from underground burrows to frolic and feast. You can see all the action in “These Acrobatic Beach Hoppers Shred All Night Long.” Or if you're down in Southern California, you may witness the yearly amorous California grunion fish run –– find out more in our episode, "These Fish Are All About Sex on the Beach."
Have you heard of Pacific mole crabs? They’re also known as sand crabs and make their living just under the surface of the sand, where they're safe from breaking waves and hungry birds. Some very special physics help them dig with astonishing speed. Check out “For Pacific Mole Crabs, It’s Dig or Die.”
